18 and Life To Go-Brucas and Jax
by bluejeanauthor
Summary: Season 2, Brooke moves to California with her parents. Lucas has told the Pretty Girl that he wants another chance to love her. Will they make it work this time around, or will she find another love before senior year begins?
1. Chapter 1

Season 2, Brooke moves to California with her parents. Lucas has told the Pretty Girl that he wants another chance to love her. Will they make it work this time around, or will she find another love before senior year begins?

Her parents made it to their new home in California the week before Brooke. The fighting had sopped since Ted Davis found work again. Victoria's drinking had slowed down and the three of them finally felt like a family again. She found a sense of belonging that she had lost long ago.

Junior year started off rough for the beautiful brunette. She fell in love for the first time with a boy named Lucas Scott, only to discover he was cheating on her with her best friend, Peyton. She had felt so alone, heartbroken. She promised to never trust anyone, let alone them, again.

Tonight was the wedding of Keith and Jules. Rather, they were supposed to be married, but Jules left him at the altar. Everything was crashing around the residents of Tree Hill.

After Jules left, Brooke sat outside the church reading Luke's best man speech over and over again. He was brilliant with words and reading what he had to say about love made her heart ache for him. He destroyed her months earlier, made her feel worthless, like she was nothing. But seeing these words, his thoughts, those old feelings resurfaced. She never let herself get over him. He had broken her heart, but she was still in love with him. She still wanted him. She couldn't shake the feeling that she needed him in her life.

"Brooke, we're taking off," Peyton appeared with Jake at her side, "Do you need a ride?"

The girl's friendship had been mended while Lucas had been away with Keith in Charleston. They had been through too much together, too much to let one boy break their decade-long friendship.

She used the sleeve of Luke's jacket to wipe away her tears. "No," her voice broke, even raspier than usual, "Thanks, but um, I think I'll have Luke give me a ride." She did her best to smile, to show that she was okay, but Peyton saw through her.

The curly blonde kneeled beside her friend and hugged her. "You still love him, don't you?"

Brooke put her hands on Peyton's arms to hold her closer. "Yeah, P. Sawyer, I do. Is that okay? Because it scares the hell out of me."

"Of course it's okay, Brooke. He still loves you, too. I know he does. Go get him. I'm here for you," Peyton kissed Brooke's cheek then locked hands with Jake.

" _Remember tonight, for it is the beginning of always,"_ she read those words a million times and she ran her fingers across his perfect cursive writing until she could feel him writing each letter. Lucas Scott was both the best, and the worst, thing to happen to Brooke Davis.

The April wind blew her hair from her face, sending a wave of calm through her. She was going to do this. Brooke Davis got what she wanted, it was that simple. And Lucas is what she wanted.

She found him inside with Karen and Keith. The sullen expression on Keith's face is how Brooke's heart felt. But Keith would get through this, and so would she. They were stronger than most thought.

Her heart beat faster with every step closer to Lucas. She could feel her stomach in her throat. There were no words. Her thoughts and ability to speak escaped her when the boy of her dreams smiled at her. Their eyes locked together even as she stood beside him, breathing him in. His scent was intoxicating. She didn't need alcohol to be drunk, she was tipsy on love.

"I'm going to take Keith home. Are you kids okay on your own?" Karen asked, a hand resting on Keith's arm.

"We're fine," Brooke told her, breaking her gaze from Lucas for just a second.

Karen held onto Keith as they exited the church. Brooke knew they were destined to be together, even if they didn't know it yet

"Walk me home?" She asked Luke, her eyes danced with sparkles.

"We drove your car," he corrected her as he pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "But I can drive slow."

Brooke had been staying at Peyton's since her parents left for California. She wasn't ready to say goodnight. They parked outside of her childhood home, but neither one bothered to unbuckle.

"I'm going to miss this," she softly said as she looked away from the house, "And you."

"I'm going to miss you, too, Pretty Girl," his hand cupped her face and she smiled as her eyes closed. She never wanted to leave that moment. "It's just for the summer, right? You'll be back."

That was the original plan. She would spend the summer with her parents and research colleges. Then she would return to Tree Hill for senior year. She feared falling in love with California. Her parents promised that she would make friends, that had never been a challenge for Brooke. In Tree Hill, she had Peyton and Lucas, but if Luke rejected her feelings, she would not be able to come back to this town.

"We don't have a place," she slowly opened her eyes. "Peyton and I have the perfume store in the mall. You and Haley have the rooftop of Karen's Café. But me and you, we don't have a place."

"Sure we do," he released the parking break and drove. Brooke had no idea where he was taking her or what it meant that they did have a special place.

'The river court?" Confused, she glanced at him, "Luke, this is _your_ place. How do I fit in here?"

He opened her car door for her, took her hand and led her onto the cement court. "Remember that night you and Peyton crashed that Duke party?"

Not knowing where he was going with this, she asked, "Yeah. Why?"

He took his phone from his pocket and started a playlist. Stopping on "Perfect" by Burn Season, he pressed PLAY and held his hands out for her. "Dance with me."

She took his hands and twirled her. "The next day, you came to watch me play. You sat on that bench with Mouth and stayed all day. You're the only one who has ever done that. This is our spot, Brooke. I can't come here and not think about you."

"Lucas-"

"No, Brooke, let me finish," she let herself fold into his body. His arms felt so warm around her. "I know we're friends now. I know that, but I can't stop thinking about how much I hurt you."

"Don't," she interrupted him, "I love you, Lucas. I never stopped loving you."

A happy sigh left him as he pulled her into a deep, romantic kiss. "I love you, too. I promise I'll never hurt you again."

"But I'm leaving tomorrow," she cried against his chest.

"Then I'll wait for you. I want you, Brooke. I want us. I'll wait for you."

" _Remember tonight, for it is the beginning of always,"_ she whispered and held onto him, not wanting to ever let him go.


	2. Chapter 2

Jax Teller, eighteen years old the sexiest man in all of Charming, California. He had the best-looking girl, Tara Knowles, all to himself for the last four years. However, now that high school was over, Tara was leaving or medical school. She would have done anything to have Jax leave with her. She wanted him out of SAMCRO; she wanted them to have their own family. But he said no. Jax couldn't turn his back on the club, not after all the family had done for him and Gemma since his father's death. No, he had to stay in Charming. Jax had to become a member of the club, his prospect days were almost over.

The Harley-Davidson Dyna pulled into the airport parking lot, no doubt getting everyone's attention. Jax carried Tara's one bag to the gates and gave her one last chance to change her mind.

"Tara, are you sure you have to go?" He dropped the bag at her feet and begged her to stay.

"I have to get out of Charming, Jax. I don't understand why you won't come with me."

He didn't want to have this fight again. Over the several days, the once happy couple had done nothing but fight and make-up. They rarely left Jax's bedroom. He wouldn't end things with a fight.

"It doesn't have to be like this," he told her, "You go do what it is you want to do. I love you, Tara, but I can't leave the club. If you're making me choose, it's not going to be you, Darling."

"Yeah, you've made that perfectly clear," she said, her tone irate. Tara snatched up her bag and turned her back on the boy she loved, and on Charming. She was better than this town, better than SAMCRO, and she would prove it to everybody.

"I'll miss you, Babe," he said in a whisper as he watched her board the flight.

Tara was taking his heart with her, even if she didn't know it. Jax was crazy in love with that girl, he did all he knew to do to show her what she meant to him. But he couldn't leave the club. The brothers needed him. Charming needed him. He was raised to be loyal to the leather vest. If Tara couldn't understand that, she wasn't the girl for him, at least that's what Gemma told him.

Gemma never did care for Tara. The day she met Jax's girlfriend, she warned him that he would have his heart broken When Jax let high school and Tara began looking into colleges, Gemma knew their love story would end sooner rather than later.

Jax watched the place take off before he drove away. There was a part of him hoping she would get off the plane. He knew from the moment he saw her that she would be his wife one day. Now, with Tara on a flight to New York, Jax had to bury his feelings and get back to work. Club duties didn't stop because of a broken heart.

"She's gone?" Gemma questioned when she heard the office door open. She knew the sound of Jax's bike.

"She's gone," he said. He kissed his mother's cheek and grabbed a beer from the fridge.

"I'm sorry, Baby. Maybe it's for the best. She was holding you back."

Wanting to change the subject, he brought up their job for that night. Clay wanted Jax and Opie to ride up to Redding. They had a contact there about guns who had shorted the club close to two grand. It was up to Jax to _solve the problem._ This would be his first kill and Opie was the only one he could be honest with. Jax was scared out of his mind, but this is what he had to do to earn his place in SAMCRO. This murder would be his ticket out of the prospect life.

"You'll be fine," Gemma promised, "Just remember to always look a man in the eyes with you pull the trigger. Don't think too hard about it."

 _Easier said than done, Ma._

Jax wasn't himself the rest of the day. Everyone could tell yet they said nothing. They knew that Teller temper well enough to understand the boy needed space. He dealt with things on his own. Today, he just happened to take his anger out on the Harley that had been sitting in the shop for two weeks. Another link to Tara, he thought. He kept putting off the repairs to hang out with her. Now she was gone for good and he was left with this piece of leaking rust. Why the guy didn't scrap it, Jax didn't bother to ask.

He worked on this bike until Opie arrived for their trip to Redding. The sun was setting but the evening was still warm. He had made the right choice by wearing the t-shirt instead of the long sleeves that _she_ had picked out for him.

The boys said their goodbyes and headed out on their bikes.

"You alright, Man?" Opie asked before they left.

"Great. She's just a girl," he shrugged, "I'll find another one," he was unconvincing, and he knew it, that's why he drove away before his best friend could call him out on it.

"Not like her," Opie said to himself, then followed alongside Jax.

Redding as about an hour drive for the guys and they loved every second of it. Something about riding a Harley in the Spring evening made them both feel free. That's what Jax needed, freedom. When he was on is bike, he didn't have to think about anything He almost didn't miss Tara's arms around his waist. With every gust of wind, he almost couldn't smell her freshly washed hair and lavender scented body wash. Almost counted for nothing, though.

When they arrived, the man-if you could call him that-was sitting outside smoking a cigarette. He saw the Harley's pull up and knew what fate he had. He should have known better than to steal from Clay Morrow and the Sons.

"I can get the money," he said before Jax's fist met his mouth.

Jax didn't hold back. This guy was his personal punching bag. Everything he felt about Tara came out as blood and bruises on this guy's face. Jax beat him so badly he became unrecognizable. Opie used all his strength to pull Jax back, to get him under control, but it did no good. Jax couldn't be stopped. He pulled out his gun and fired three bullets into the skull.

"So much for being okay," Opie said, hoping to bring Jax back to reality. "What was that?"

"Clay wanted him dead. He's dead. I'm a Son now."

That was the firs time Opie saw the darkness in Jax. John Teller would never kill, nor order a kill, that's not why he started SAMCRO. After JT toed, Clay and Gemma changed everything. Opie no longer wanted to be a part of it. He would ride things out with Jax for a little longer, but no way in Hell would Opie become a Son.

"Let's go home," Jax said, ripping the cross necklace off the dead body.

Opie had no words. Truth be told, he was scared to say anything. He saw this darkness in Jax's eyes, this fire that burned with every pull of the trigger. He wanted more, he didn't want to stop killing. Opie knew when to keep his mouth shut.

Back in Charming, Clay was waiting at the club house for Jax. He wanted to toughen the boy up, strengthen that spine of his. Sure, things had changed from when the club first started, but Clay was about making money and having power. He wanted to show Jax how a real man takes care of his family. SAMCRO would belong to Jax someday, and Clay had to make sure the kid was capable.

They pulled into the parking lot, but Opie stayed on his bike. "I'm gonna take off, Jax. I want to see Donna tonight."

"You two doin' alright?"

"I love her," he grinned, "I told her yesterday that I wanted to marry her."

"And she stuck around?" Jax teased, but he was happy for his friend.

"She did," he laughed, "She might be pregnant, we'll find out for sure on Monday."

"That's great, Man. I'm happy for you both," Jax hugged hum then headed inside the club house.

Clay was sitting at the head of the Reaper table. "Is it done?" He was prepared for a fight, he didn't think Jax could kill anyone.

Jax dropped the bloody necklace onto the table. "It's done," he took a seat next to Clay.

"Good boy. You're a man now, Jax. Your life is about to change."

Neither of them could begin to imagine how right Clay had been that night.


	3. Chapter 3

Brooke had been in California for nearly a week and she already had a circle of friends. No surprise there. It only took her two days to unpack all the boxes and fill her room with memories of Peyton and Lucas.

Brooke and her Broody were trying to make this relationship work. They promised each other that they wouldn't date anyone else or sleep with anyone else. They only wanted one another. She loved him deeply and didn't mind that she blushed every time his name was mentioned. 

Her new friends knew all about him and Brooke loved having their support. She looked forward to the 'good morning' texts from him and their playful fights about who needed to hang up first at night. They were very much in love and she wanted the world to know.

"So, there's this party tonight," Leah, the ringleader of Brooke's new group said as the girls laid by the pool.

"Go on," Brooke encouraged.

Leah smiled and pulled her sunglasses down from her hair, "I don't know the crowd too well. It's a biker scene over in Charming, but Chloe over there is seeing this guy, and he invited us all."

She didn't want to hide the look of disgust. "Bikers? Don't they, like, never shower, and weigh three-hundred pounds?"

The girls laughed, this annoying high-pitched laugh. "Brooke, c'mon, this is California. All the guys are hot out here. It'll be fun, I've met Juice's friends before, you'll like them."

"Juice? That's his name?" Brooke kinked an eyebrow. Sure, Mouth was a weird name, but Juice? They had to be kidding, right?

"His name is Juan. Juice is a nick name," Chloe explained. "You'll come, right?"

Feeling like she didn't have a choice, Brooke agreed to go with them. She knew her limits on alcohol and she wasn't comfortable with the idea of bikers, so she promised herself she would only have one drink. She didn't even want to talk to anyone there.

The girls piled into Leah's convertible and made the forty-five-minute drive to Charming. Brooke's nerves were a wreck the whole way there. Her friends were wearing short skirts and tops that showed their cleavage, much like the way Brooke usually dressed. For this party, though, she chose jeans, boots, and a pink top. She wanted to look cute without giving the guys the wrong idea.

"There he is," Chloe beamed with excitement and ran into the arms of an average height, average looking Hispanic

To Leah, Brooke whispered, "He has a tattoo on his head. On. His. Head."

"Welcome to California, Brooke Davis," she laughed and took Brooke's hand, led her to the party.

Leah introduced Brooke to the other girls and a few of the guys. Clay and Gemma were in the office, off limits to the party-goers.

"Brooke, this is Donna and Opie," she introduced the two brunettes first. "Donna here is, like, my best friend ever. She used to live next door to me, but then moved away to be closer to Opie."

"Leah, c'mon," Donna faked being hurt, "we're still friends," her hands dropped to her stomach, "Who else is going to teach my baby the ways of the fashion world?"

"Oh my God!" Leah shrieked and hugged Donna so tightly her face turned red. "That's amazing, I'm incredibly happy for you both."

Brooke thought back to her own almost-pregnancy last year. She had been late, the test said positive. She was scared, but she had been in love with Lucas. He would take care of them. Then, she found out about Peyton and was relieved to know the test had been a false positive.

"Leah, I'm gonna grab a drink. Meet up later?"

"Yeah, of course, go have fun."

Brooke held her arms across her chest and walked through the crowd. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. They were talking, laughing, dancing, acting like they had no care in the world.

She found a cooler full of beer and grabbed a grape Bacardi. Her hand brushed ever so lightly against another. Standing before her was the hottest guy she had ever seen. The long blond hair and bulging biceps made her think of a dangerous version of Lucas.

The guy was laughing and talking trash with another person much older than them. The blond stumbled and fell into Brooke, somehow, she caught him and he regained his balance.

"Sorry about that," he said. He set his empty shot glass down on the concrete. He reeked of whiskey, Brooke's go-to drink she wanted to forget something.

"No problem," she patted his shoulder and took a long sip of the drink in her hands. Her eyes darted around the party but landed back on the man in front of her. She recognized the look of a broken heart. "You okay?" she found herself asking.

"I'm great," he mumbled and sat down. A few girls wearing practically nothing winked at him as they walked by. Brooke rolled her eyes, "I haven't seen you around before. What's your name, Doll?"

Doll? Was this guy serious? Who talked like that?

"Brooke," she said coldly, trying to not look at him. Now would be the perfect time for Lucas or Peyton to call. She didn't want to stand here all night. "I'm friends with Leah and Chloe," she added.

He chuckled, "Those girls are trouble," he said, popping the top off his beer.

"You talk like you know," she fired back with a smirk.

"Me? Nah. The other guys, sure, but not me."

"And why's that?" she followed his eyes as he scanned the girls at the party. "You don't seem like the picky type."

"I had a girl," he said as he took another sip, "she left today."

"Didn't like competing?" she asked, nodding to the other girls.

"Nah, not that. She left for medical school. Wanted me to go with her."

"Why didn't you?"

"Family comes first. I didn't have a choice."

"We always have a choice," she softly said, joining him on the pavement.

"Was this your choice?" he asked. Brooke didn't like vague questions.

"What? Coming to the party? Not really."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because," she struggled to answer, "if Leah hadn't convinced me to come, I'd by lying in bed staring at pictures of Lucas," she took a sip, nearly finishing off the drink.

His eyes lit up. This girl just got interesting. "Lucas? Boyfriend?"

"I don't know," she said it out loud for the first time, "I love him. He loves me. But he's back home and I'm here all summer."

"Where's home?"

"Tree Hill, North Carolina. A million miles from here."

"Take this," he handed her a freshly poured shot of Jim Beam and he drank from the bottle.

She loved the familiar burn of the smooth whiskey. It brought back memories. Memories she wished she could forget.

"There you are!" A very drunk Chloe stumbled over to them. "Leah's ready to go. She's going to end up punching the prospect in the throat if he keeps touching her."

"That sounds like Leah," Jax chuckled.

"Okay, well," she looked at Jax, "it was nice talking to you-you never told me your name," she laughed nervously.

"Jax. Jax Teller," he held his hand out for her.

"Good talk, Jax. Thanks for the whiskey."

She stood to leave and smiled when he winked at her.

"Guess who Brooke was sharing a bottle of whiskey with!" Chloe slurred her words and was too eager to spill the dirt. "Jax Teller. That's right! Newly single Jax was chatting up Brooke. He doesn't talk to just anyone, Brooke. You're one of the lucky ones."

"Okay, it was no big deal. We talked, that's all."

Leah looked at her from the corner of her eye, "Talked about what exactly?"

"His girlfriend. My boyfriend," she was being defensive.

Chloe popped up from the back seat. "Tara left him, and we all know how Jax heals a broken heart," she fluttered her eyelashes at Brooke, who playfully pushed her back into the seat.

"Regardless of him being single, I'm not."

"Well you look happy," Gemma grinned as she tied the belt of her robe, "Who was the girl I saw you with?"

Jax lit a cigarette and handed it over to her, "Name's Brooke. She's visiting from North Carolina, friends with Leah," he smiled at the infamous Gemma eyeroll.

"Leah, that girl's going to make a damn good old lady someday," she puffed the cigarette and handed it back to him. "Hook her up with Happy, he could handle her," they laughed but the tension was thick. Gemma had something on her mind. "Listen, Jax—"

"Mom," he cut her short, "I'm not gonna do anything. I doubt I'll even see that girl again."

"All I was going to say, Sweetie, is that it was nice to see you smile tonight. It's been about a week since I've seen that light in your eyes."

"Goodnight, Ma," he kissed her cheek and retired to his room for the night.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been one week since Brooke left with her family. Lucas missed her terribly, but they spoke on the phone and through text every day and night. Karen had noticed a change in her normally brooding son, a happier change. She recognized the look of being in love.

"Talk to Brooke lately?" Peyton asked. They stood in the lobby of the theater waiting on Jake.

"Last night. She seemed happy. She made some friends."

"Yeah, Leah and Chloe, right? They sound…interesting."

They shared a laugh. "they took her to a biker party. She tell you that?"

"Yeah, can you imagine that?"

They laughed again. Jake entered, causing Peyton's face to light up like the night sky during a full moon. Luke noticed this and looked away as they kissed.

"Hey, man, how's it going?" Jake and Lucas fist bumped and headed into the theater.

After the movie, the three of them decided to grab lunch on the Market Street Docks. It was nice hanging out as friends with Peyton. There was no tension, no drama, only calm and relaxation.

Lucas missed the friendship he shared with Peyton last year. At one time he had been crazy about her, wanted to be with her forever. But she hid her feelings for him until he moved on with Brooke. Lucas didn't realize which girl he was in love with until he had hurt both. Peyton moved on to Jake, and Lucas thought they were good for each other. Peyton never smiled at him the way she smiled at Jake, with her entire face. Peyton didn't get Luke's heart racing the way Brooke did. Brooke Davis did something to him, she drove him crazy and he was in love with their madness.

"So, I've been thinking," Peyton spoke up, a mouthful of sandwich. After she swallowed, she continued, "how would you two feel about a roadtrip?"

"Where to?" Jake asked.

"New York. To see Haley," she knew this was dangerous territory with Lucas, especially if they didn't tell Nathan. Those big green eyes of hers moved from Luke to Jake.

He struggled to find an answer. Luke and Haley hadn't left things on good terms. He didn't even know she had left town until the next day when he stopped by the apartment. Nathan had destroyed everything of hers and drank until he passed out on the floor. Lucas had to help him to the couch, and that's when he found out Haley had left town.

Luke called his best friend several times, only to be told she couldn't talk right then. After weeks of unreturned phone calls, he stopped trying.

"Yeah," he finally said, "I'm in. Let's go this weekend."

"I'd love to go," Jake said, "but it's my time with Jenny. Nikki is out of town for a couple of weeks."

Lucas and Peyton shared an uneasy look. Given their history, should they go on a trip together? Brooke would become psychotic if she knew they were on a trip alone. Lucas and Peyton knew there was no running from their past.

"You two should go," Jake continued, "I'm sure Haley would love to see you."

"You're okay with Lucas and me going?" Peyton questioned.

"Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Jake knew of their past, everybody in Tree Hill knew, but he loved Peyton and he trusted both of them. Besides, he knew how much Lucas loved Brooke. Jake gave him the advice to try again with her.

It started getting late so Luke went home, leaving Peyton and Jake to say goodnight.

Karen and Keith were on the couch watching a movie, looking cozy next to each other. He grinned and sat in the chair.

"Mom," Karen looked over at him, paused the movie, "Jake is covering my shift at the café this weekend."

"Okay, why's that?" Luke never asked anyone to cover his shifts.

"Peyton and I are going to see Haley."

"That's great, Lucas. You can take the care package I put together for her."

"I will. We're leaving Thursday morning."

Luke changed for bed then called Brooke. She answered on the third ring.

"Hey, you," she said in her usual seductive way.

"Hey, you, back," he grinned, "What are you up to?"

"Nothing, really," there was laughter in the background.

"You're not at another biker party, are you?"

She laughed, "No, not even close. Leah and Chloe are staying here tonight. We're just hanging out."

"Alright, well, I'll let you get back to your fun. I just wanted to say I love you and I miss you."

"I love you, too. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay. Don't have too much fun."

"Oh, you know me," she said coyly.

"Yeah, exactly," they laughed. "Goodnight, Pretty Girl."

"Goodnight, Broody."

That night, Lucas dreamed about Brooke. When he thought about her, he couldn't contain his excitement about the future. The way she looked at Keith's would-be wedding, wearing that strapless dress and her hair curled, she was so beautiful it hurt. They danced at the river court that night, neither one wanted to end the night, to let go of the other.

He thought about Haley and Nathan sneaking off to get married. Luke didn't want to hide anything about his relationship. He was the guy for Brooke, he was going to marry her someday. And when that day came, he wanted the world to be a part of it. He wanted their friends and families to witness the promise of forever. They were only eighteen years old, but Luke couldn't imagine life without Brooke. For the first time, he was truly in love.

The ringtone belonging to Nathan woke him. Half-asleep, he answered, "Nathan, what's up? It's 6 a.m."

"Sorry, man, look, I need your help. I have to get rid of this mess."

"What mess?" Then it registered with him and his tone became stern, "Haley's stuff."

'Yeah. I can't have it here anymore. Can you help me?"

Nathan wanted to trash everything, but Lucas wouldn't let him. They compromised and rented a storage unit. The packing and moving took them all day. Nathan wasn't in the mood to talk, so they had the music playing loudly. The sun was setting when they finished.

"She's coming back, Nate. You know that."

"Yeah, but she's not coming back to me. She made her choice."

"You gave her an unfair ultimatum."

"She kissed him, Lucas. Did she tell you that? Haley kissed Chris. Twice."

He didn't know. The look on his face told Nathan that he didn't have a clue. Haley left that out of the conversation. Now his anger and frustration were directed at her.

Knowing it would hurt Nathan, Lucas didn't mention the upcoming road trip to New York. He needed his own answers, and maybe he would come home with answers for Nathan, too.

When Brooke called that evening, Luke was over at Peyton's. they were making a road trip play list.

"What are you two up to?" She asked, a smile in her voice. Lucas turned on speaker-phone so they could all talk.

"Planning a road trip," Peyton shouted from her computer.

"Oh exciting. Any place I know?"

"A place you love, actually," Luke told her. He leaned over Peyton's shoulder to tell her he had the new Travis album.

"That's awesome, you guys. When I get back home we'll have to plan a trip together. Go see a show or something."

"Sounds great. Gavin Degraw is touring this fall," Peyton told them.

"Perfect. I love Gavin!" Brooke shouted.

Lucas didn't want the call to end, so he left Peyton alone with the music. He talked to Brooke on his walk home.

"Is Summer over yet? I miss you like crazy," he told her, wishing she was walking beside him.

"Oh yeah? What do you miss most?"

"The girl behind the red door."

"Lucas," his romantic talk amazed her every time. "I miss being behind that red door. The door here is black and boring. I miss Tree Hill."

"Tree Hill misses you. Bevin is bored out of her mind without you. She stops by the café every day."

"Tell her to come see me then. Don't get me wrong, Leah and Chloe are great, but they're not you guys. Chloe's boyfriend has a tattoo on his head. Can you believe that?"

"California's a big change from North Carolina, I guess."

"Baby, you have no idea. I can't wait to come home. To be with you."

"I can't wait either. I love you, Brooke. I really do," he sighed heavily as he unlocked his bedroom door.

"I love you, too, Lucas. Call me tomorrow, okay? I'm gonna go for a swim."


	5. Chapter 5

Brooke lay on her bed, scrolling through pictures of herself with Lucas. There were some of Peyton with Jake, but she skipped those.

Lucas had been the only thing on her mind for months now. Hearing him promise to love her forever, it was the best news she had ever heard. She fell in love with him only two weeks into dating last year. Now that she knew for certain he loved her back, she was on top of the world.

Someone else had creeped into her mind every once in a while. Jax Teller. But why? They had a nice conversation and she knew what a broken heart felt like. They related on that level. And he wasn't awful to look at. She couldn't tell anyone about the dreams she had been having. She felt a connection with him, a connection she didn't want.

Leah came bouncing in Brooke's room the way Bevin used to, and she jumped on the bed beside Brooke. "Plans for today?" Leah asked. Without giving Brooke a chance to reply, she continued, "Because I was thinking about shopping, maybe catching a movie later. How's that sound?"

"Sounds good to me. Where's Chloe?" Leah never showed up anyone by herself. Brooke learned that pretty quickly.

An annoyed sigh escaped Leah, "In Charming, She stayed at the clubhouse with Juice." Leah kinked an eyebrow and looked at Brooke. "Speaking of Charming," she snatched Brooke's phone, "Jax asked about you."

"Oh, really?" She didn't want to show any interest in that topic. Her cheeks flushed just thinking about him.

"You're totally into him!" Leah noticed the change in Brooke's face and sat up excitedly. "I knew it!"

"No!" Brooke was embarrassed, an emotional that didn't come easily for her. "Okay, fine, he's hot," she grabbed her phone back, "But I have a boyfriend. Lucas, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah. Broody from across the freaking country. I know. But c'mon, Brooke," she started to sound disappointed, "you really believe he's not going to hook up with someone else while you're here all summer? He's a guy, remember?"

For a moment, Brooke's face fell. Lucas wouldn't do that to her again. She felt it in her heart. "Actually," she sat up on her bed, "he's planning a road trip with Peyton."

"And you think they're coming here?"

"Yeah," she nodded, throwing her raven colored hair over her shoulder, "I think they want to surprise me."

Leah didn't buy it. When it came to guys and relationships, she was very untrusting. "For your sake, I hope you're right." She didn't want to deal with the serious vibe that had taken over the room. "Get dressed, let's go. It's too nice out to stay inside."

They spent most of the day walking through the mall, then grabbed lunch at this cute little bistro near the beach. Leah reminded Brooke of the girl she was before Lucas entered her life. Energetic. Happy. Care-free. Boys and relationships were too much drama sometimes. Brooke understood why Leah wanted to stay single, but at the same time, Brooke loved how Lucas made her feel. It was a feeling she couldn't put into words.

"You've got that look again," Leah said as she sipped her Pepsi.

"What look?"

"The 'oh-my-god-I'm-so-in-love' look. The one you always get when your boyfriend is on your mind. The look that makes me feel sick," she teased, mostly.

"Why are you so against relationships?" Brooke had to know why Leah was so broken, so hard.

A heavy sigh escaped her lungs, "My dad constantly cheated on my mom. Like, all the time. And I was seeing this guy last year," she paused to collect her thoughts, "he had anger problems," her voice began to crack, "I was his punching bag."

Brooke was speechless. Suddenly the history with Lucas and Peyton didn't seem like a big deal. "Leah-"

"Don't," she interrupted, "it's okay. I'm okay. Now finish lunch so we can hit Rodeo Drive." And just like that, the cheery, bouncy girl had returned.

The girls were shopping for new swimsuits when Leah's phone rang. Chloe woke up alone at the Son's clubhouse with no way of getting home. Juice had picked her up on his Harley.

"Looks like we're going to Charming," Leah said. She pulled out her credit card to pay for her things, then they were on their way to Charming.

Brooke wasn't thrilled about going out there again. She didn't want to see Jax. As hard as she tried to not think about him, and the way he called her 'doll,' she couldn't help herself. Her face flushed at the thought of him saying her name.

The parking lot of Teller-Morrow Garage was empty except for Gemma's SUV. She was in the kitchen having a cup of coffee with Chloe. When the doors opened, Gemma greeted them.

"Hey, Leah," then she studied Brooke, "and you must be Brooke."

Brooke gave a shy smile and a soft wave. She examined the pictures on the walls and caught herself smiling at Jax's mug shot. Why on earth there was an entire wall of mug shots was beyond Brooke, but part of her liked it.

"Before you girls take off, Chloe needs to clean that bedroom. It smells like sex in there," Gemma told them. She walked over to Brooke, taking another cup of coffee with her. "Here," she handed Brooke the cup, "He's vulnerable right now," she looked at Jax's photo then smiled at Brooke.

Brooke sipped the coffee and thanked Gemma. "Yeah, he told me about his girlfriend leaving. I can relate to that. My boyfriend is all the way in Tree Hill. I feel like a mess without him."

"Tara never fit in with the club. We treated her like family and she thought she was better than us. Jax is better off without her. He'll realize that soon."

"You two are close?" Memories of Karen and Lucas flew into her mind.

"He's my baby boy. His dad died two years ago. We became even closer after that."

"I wish I was close with my parents Sometimes it feels like I could set myself on fire and they wouldn't notice."

"Then it's their loss. From what I can tell, you're a wonderful young woman. Sometimes you have to make your own family, Sweetheart. Leah and Chloe are a part of our family here, and if you stick by them, you'll be family, too."

"Ya know," Brooke started, taking another sip of coffee, "I'm always wanted to be part of a family. My parents would rather throw cash at me than spend time with me."

"That's not the kind of family we are. We look out for our own," Gemma finished her coffee, "Just be careful with my son, okay? That's all I ask."

The girls talked and laughed on the drive back to Leah's house. They drove past the Sons and Brooke caught Jax's eye. She smiled, and he returned one to her. She wanted to know him. She wanted to explore that connection. What was it about Jax Teller that intrigued her? She wanted answers without betraying Lucas.

They lounged by the pool with music playing. Brooke and become close to her new friends. So close that they didn't have to talk to have a good time together.

She raised up to get her beer, then her phone rang. Peyton. "Hey, P. Sawyer, what's up?" As she listened to every word Peyton said, the smile faded, and she felt her heart crush to pieces, "New York? Just you and Lucas? Oh, okay. No, I'm fine. I just had this crazy idea that you two were coming to see me, but I guess you miss Haley more. It's fine. Be careful, okay? Tell Tutor Girl I said hey. Don't apologize, I shouldn't have assumed anything. Talk to you later. Bye."

"Trouble in paradise?" Chloe asked, sucking on a cherry from her drink.

"Maybe. I'm not sure. They told me they were planning a road trip and stupid me thought they were coming here."

"Where are they really going?" Leah questioned.

"New York. To see Haley."

"The one that left her husband to sing?"

"Yeah. That one."

"Brooke, I'm sorry. That sucks," Chloe told her, she didn't know what else to say.

Leah leaned over and hugged Brooke, stroked her hair, "I'm sorry, Buddy. We need more drinks."

The bubbly blonde went inside the house, no doubt to get the key for her mother's liquor cabinet.

"How could I be so stupid, Chloe? Seriously."

"You're not stupid, Brooke. You're just in love. Should I call a few guys over? It would be a nice distraction for you."

"No, Chloe, I don't want guys over. I'm pissed at Lucas and I'd take it out on everyone else."

"He keeps hurting you. You deserve better."

Leah returned with shot glasses and whiskey. Brooke's kryptonite. "I'll just drink until I don't care anymore. How about that?" She said, pouring a shot that nearly spilled over the glass.

"Getting drunk by the pool sounds like a good plan," Leah agreed.

For the next five hours, the girls drank cocktails and took shots until they passed out in the lounge chairs. When Brooke woke up that evening, she had three missed calls from Lucas.


	6. Chapter 6

Please leave reviews! Tell me what you'd like to see happen and who you want Brooke to end up with. I had a plan when I started writing this but now I'm leaning the other way. Help, guys! Haha.

Opie was out of the Sons. With Donna pregnant he wanted to get a real job so he could take care of his growing family. Jax was crushed, but he understood. Tara was gone, meaning the only family he had was the Club.

He woke up to the scent of pancakes and bacon. Gemma had cooked breakfast for the first time in weeks. Pancakes and bacon was their choice of food when they needed to have a serious talk. Jax's brother, Thomas, passed away while Jax slept. The next morning, Gemma broke the news to him over breakfast. Same thing when JT died and when Gemma married Clay. Jax wondered what had happened, but he was too hungry to ask questions.

"Morning, Ma," he kissed her cheek then took a seat at the table.

"Hey, Baby," she filled her bird cage with fresh food and water. Gemma adored the love birds, she could sit and watch them all day.

She hated breaking bad news to Jax. When he had a broken heart, hers shattered, too. Two cups of coffee waited on the table for them. Gemma blew on hers before taking a sip from the cup.

Seeing Jax eating breakfast and in his pajamas made her happy. She thought back to how young and innocent he once had been. Jax had a bright future ahead of him, until Clay hooked his claws into him. Clay was making Jax into a man, the kind of man that could be president of the Club.

She felt guilty sometimes when she thought about her ex-husband. Jax looked a lot like his father, shared the same values. JT wanted the club to be a fun, a safe haven of sorts. Then Clay began running guns and Gemma was drawn to all the cash that was coming in. She became addicted to the lifestyle Clay could provide for her, for her son. Clay made her happy in ways that JT never could. Before she realized it, Gemma had fallen in love with Clay. She never looked back.

"So, what's the news?" Jax asked after swallowing a crispy bite of bacon.

Gemma sighed and took a seat at the table. "It's about Tara. Have you talked to her recently?"

"Not since the airport. Why?" He immediately thought the worst. She had been in a car accident or attacked during the night. He was in full-on fight mode. Jax would do anything to protect Tara, even if she didn't love him anymore.

"She's moved on. I got a call last night from an old friend who said Tara was on a date with another man. She kissed him and left with him. I'm so sorry."

The fork fell from his hands and crashed on the floor, leaving a puddle of syrup on the rug. "It's only been two weeks!"

"I know. I'm sorry, Jax. That girl was nothing but trouble. I won't say 'I told you so,' I love you too much for that.

The last thing Tara said to him was, "I can't love you anymore." He thought she was mad and she would get over it, but she moved on to someone else instead. He was too angry to finish his breakfast. Jax pushed the chair back with such force that it fell over.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"For a ride. Tell Clay I'll be by the garage later," he disappeared into his room to change clothes, then he was on a solo ride around town. He wasn't in the mood to see or talk to anyone.

It wasn't a planned trip. Jax just wanted to drive, but he replayed the relationship with Tara over and over in his head.

The pizza and ice cream shoppe where they had their first date. All he could think about was kissing those ruby red lips, but she made him wait until their third date. Then there was the high school parking lot, the scene of their first fight. Tara's lab partner was too close to her, sending Jax into a possessive rage. They almost broke up that day.

Next, he drove by the cemetery where his father and brother were buried. On the one-year anniversary of JT's death, Tara found Jax at his father's grave. She laced her fingers with his and held him while he cried. That was the day they fell in love.

Charming held a lot of memories of Tara, of the family. Some good, some bad. This was home for him, and he couldn't imagine living anywhere else. How could Tara turn her back on Charming so quickly? This town was good for her, good to her, and she walked away.

He had to get her off his mind. He needed to throw himself into his work, or alcohol, or…other girls. If Tara could replace him after two weeks, he could replace her. Two could play that game.

Jax circled back through town on his way to the garage. Donna's car grabbed his attention and he pulled in next to it. Sitting outside of a bistro was Opie and Donna, laughing and smiling. They were in love and Jax so desperately, wanted to feel love again. He wanted to feel something, anything.

"Mind if I join you?" He asked.

"Jax, hey, yeah, sure, have a seat," Donna invited him to join them. She always liked Jax; he took care of Opie during club duties, made sure he was never hurt.

He pulled out a chair and sat down, ordered a beer when the waitress came over.

"What are you doing out this way?" Opie asked, "shouldn't you be with Clay?" Jax was the only Son who kept in touch with Opie since he turned in his vest.

"Had to clear my head," he smiled at the waitress and sipped his beer. "Tara has a new boyfriend."

The news stunned everyone into silence. Donna didn't particularly like Tara, but Jax was her friend and she wanted to be there for him.

"That's rough. Are you okay?" She asked. Before Jax could answer, the waitress returned to take their food order.

"I don't know," Jax said with a shrug. "Maybe my mom was right, Tara's not the one for me."

Donna stifled a laugh. "Jackson, we're eighteen years old. We make mistakes. We fall in and out of love several times before finding the one."

"Explain you and Opie then."

"Donna and I aren't perfect," Opie said, "we're hurt each other, we've broken up a few times."

"The way Donna looks at you, Op, Tara hasn't looked at me that way in months. I don't know how to get over her. She did a number on me."

"I have this friend that I work with. Her name's Wendy. I could introduce you," Donna suggested, "Totally up to you. She's a few years old than us, twenty-one, I think. And she's not the relationship type, but she could help you get over Tara."

Jax thought about it, his lips turned into a smile. "Alright. Set it up. Bring her by the club on Saturday night."

Donna pulled out her cell phone and sent Wendy a text. The phone buzzed seconds later, Donna smiled in a way that suggested she was proud of herself. "She'll be there."

The three of them ate lunch and had a conversation that didn't involve the club or Tara. For the first time in two weeks, Jax felt happy. His shoulders relaxed, he was at ease.

They talked about Donna's pregnancy and how furious her family had been. Things were bad at her house, everyone was giving her the silent treatment and disapproving glances. She couldn't take it anymore, so she moved into Opie's studio apartment.

"Blood doesn't make a family, Donna," Jax told her, that was Gemma's quote to live by. "I should probably get going. Don't need Clay waiting too long," he paid for their meals and left the waitress a ten dollar bill.


	7. Chapter 7

Enjoy the cameo by Haley James, keep an eye out for her story next!

"I'll talk to her later," Lucas said in a response to Peyton's call with Brooke.

"Luke, don't you think you should talk to her now? She thought we were coming to see her."

Peyton's friendship with Brooke was on track again. They were back to being best friends and Peyton never wanted to let her go. They needed each other. But she couldn't blame Brooke for being upset. The thought of visiting California never entered her mind, or Lucas'.

"We're making good time, I don't want to pull over. I'll call her when we get to the hotel," he cut his eyes in Peyton's direction, "She'll be okay, Peyton."

"Could you put my mind at ease and call her now? I'll drive."

Lucas pulled into the parking lot of the rest area. He was tired and irritated. The last thing he wanted to do was fight with Brooke. He called her three times, "She's not answering," he told Peyton in an 'I told you so' kind of way.

They were two hours outside of New York and they made that trip in silence. Lucas wasn't in the mood for Brooke's insecurities and drama. He loved her, he really did, but the situation with Haley was a priority. He didn't like the person she had become. This time, Nathan wasn't to blame.

Peyton parked her Comet in the fist open spot she saw. She couldn't get Brooke out of her mind. The guilt was eating at her. Why hadn't she thought about seeing Brooke? Why was Haley the one everyone wanted to see? Seeing Haley had been Peyton's idea because she knew it meant a lot to Lucas.

The front desk receptionist asked for their information. Since Haley was on tour, on her way to becoming a celebrity, the receptionist had to call the room.

"Ms. James, two people are here to see you. Lucas Scott and Peyton Sawyer. Okay, thank you."

Peyton knocked on the door and was welcomed by a tight hug from Haley. She hugged Lucas, too, but he didn't return it to her.

"What are you guys doing here?" She was all smiles.

"We needed to see you," Lucas told her, trying to hide the hurt in his voice. "I needed to see you."

Haley could see through Lucas and knew he was upset with her. Peyton, on the other hand, seemed genuinely happy to be there.

"Are you guys hungry? We could get some food and talk," Haley was cautious, the last thing she wanted was a fight.

"That sounds good, I'll order a pizza," Peyton stepped out to make the call.

"Are you mad at me, Luke?" Haley hugged herself and kept her doe eyes on Lucas.

"Haley, I'm not mad. I'm hurt. You left without saying goodbye. You're too busy to take my calls. I come here to see you and you have blonde hair, make-up," his eyes fell to her hands, "and no wedding band." Who was this girl and where was the real Haley?

"Nathan gave me an ultimatum-"

"I know," he interrupted her, "after you confessed to kissing Chris Keller," Disappointment was written all over his face. "What happened to you, Hales?"

"Did he tell you that he's petitioned for a divorce?"

Luke opened his mouth, but no words escaped. Nathan hadn't mentioned that. Before he could say anything, Peyton bounced back into the room.

"Pizza will be here in thirty," sensing a tense vibe in the room, Peyton wanted to lighten the mood. "I like the new hair."

A soft smile creeped onto Haley's red lips, "Thanks. The tour manager suggested a change. I'm still getting used to it."

"Tree Hill is proud of you, ya know? We all are. You should see Tric, Karen has this whole wall dedicated to you, all the press coverage, everything. It's really amazing."

Haley's eyes flashed to Lucas. "I'm proud of you, Haley, but you left without saying goodbye."

"Luke, I'm sorry. Can we talk about the mess later and just enjoy being here together? Please?"

He looked at Haley, then Peyton. Both girls willed him, begged him to enjoy the moment. "Yeah, we'll talk later."

A knock on the door grabbed their attention. Peyton signed for the pizza, but the driver kept looking at Haley. "Are you Haley James?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"Wow, you're amazing. My girlfriend and I saw you perform yesterday. I hate to be that guy, but could I get an autograph?"

Signing autographs and taking pictures with fans seemed to be second nature to Haley. Like she had been a rock star her entire life.

"Haley James Scott," Luke corrected. Haley winced like she had been stabbed.

Peyton closed the door and gave Lucas one of the dirtiest looks he had ever seen. "Well, I'm dying to hear about everything. C'mon, tell me about it," Peyton dropped the pizza onto the table and took a seat.

The girls talked about music and movies, then the topic of Jake came up.

"I've been rooting for you two," Haley said, picking apart her slice of pizza.

"He's great, and I absolutely love Jenny. I keep thinking I'm dreaming, ya know? I don't want to wake up if I am dreaming."

Suddenly Lucas' phone rang. It was Brooke, so he stepped out into the hallway.

"Hey, you're alive."

"Yeah, I am," Brooke's annoyance was evident, "I just didn't want to talk to you."

"Why are you so mad? I didn't do anything wrong, Brooke."

"I thought you were coming to see me. You've been saying how much you love me and miss me. I hoped you were coming out here."

"I talk to you every day. I've not talked to Haley in months. I needed to see her. I said goodbye to you, I didn't get to do that with Haley."

"Then talk to her when she has time for you. I have nothing, but free time and I miss you, Luke. Do you not want to see me? Why go see someone who couldn't care less about you when I'm fighting like hell to hold onto us."

"God, Brooke, you're coming back home. Haley might not."

"What are you talking about? Why wouldn't she go back to Tree Hill?"

"It looks like she may not have a reason to go home."

"What about Nathan?"

"He's filing for divorce. I'll call you soon, okay? I'll tell you everything."

"Okay. I love you, Lucas."

The call ended.

Back inside the room, the girls were on the bed looking at pictures and talking, mostly about Jake. Haley was saying Brooke's name when Luke closed the door behind him.

"You and Brooke again?" She asked, Lucas couldn't read her expression.

"Yeah, we're trying again."

"That's great, Luke, she really loves you."

"It's getting late," Peyton said as she picked up her mess on the bed. "I'm gonna call Jake then head to bed."

After Peyton left the room, the tension was thick between Luke and Haley.


	8. Chapter 8

"Brooke, just end it, okay? It's obvious he doesn't care about you," Chloe told her. Chloe and Leah were growing tired of hearing about Lucas.

Her phone rang for the forth time in an hour. It was Lucas, but she didn't want to answer. Two days had passed since their last conversation, and Lucas hung up without saying "I love you."

Maybe they're right, she thought. She ignored the call and dropped the phone in her purse. Boyfriend drama was not going to ruin her day at the beach.

Aside from Lucas, Brooke was having a great summer. New friends, parents acting like a real family, endless sunshine and waves. What more could a girl want?

They basked in the sun, letting the sounds of the ocean take them far, far away. Her mid drifted to thoughts of Tree Hill and she could only remember the pain and heartache that town put her through. At that moment, she didn't want to ever go back there. California could be her new home. I could be happy here, she thought.

After the beach the girls went their separate ways. Leah promised to have dinner with her grandparents. Chloe had to work the night shift at a hotel. Brooke was alone and not ready to go home yet. She wanted to drive around, to clear her head of all things relating to Lucas.

There was no planned destination, she just wanted to drive, maybe get lost for a while. She was in a town right outside of Charming when her car broke down. She called her parents, who were too busy to even pick up the phone. Leah couldn't answer, so that left Chloe, the girl with all the answers. Brooke jotted down the tow truck company's number on a napkin with eyeliner.

Fifteen minutes later the Teller-Morrow tow truck came into view. Of course, that's who Chloe would want her to call. She rolled her eyes and brushed her hair back from her face. Jax and Juice hopped out of the truck with big, wide grins. Why did Jax have to look so appetizing all the time. She looked him over and smiled as she leaned against the car.

"Juice, look at her car and load it up," Jax said, his eyes locked on Brooke's as he walked towards her. "You just couldn't wait to see me again, could you?"

She heard herself laugh and couldn't look away from him. "Well, you know me, I always get what I want," that seductive smirk took control of her lips. His body and voice were taking over her mind.

"A girl with attitude, I like it," he stepped closer to her, close enough to kiss her if he wanted to. She smelled like the ocean water, intoxicating. With a hand on her hip, he leaned in to whisper, "And what is it that you want?"

That voice, his warm touch, Brooke was going weak in the knees. "I don't think you could handle what I want," she whispered back to him.

"How about I fix your car then we can talk about what I can handle," he squeezed her hip, sending fire through her veins.

"You got yourself a deal, gorgeous."

What was she doing? They were flirting, crossing boundaries. Luke and Brooke hadn't talked to each other like that since they first dated last year. She was worried that Luke might not want her, that he had only said those things because she was leaving for the summer. Or, and maybe she was being paranoid and crazy, but maybe he just wanted to be with her because _Jake_ had _Peyton._

Brooke sat in the middle of Jax and Juice on the drive to the garage. They were talking and laughing in a way that she had Lucas didn't. She was starting to miss him less and less each day.

Jax helped her down from the truck and walked her to the office. Gemma was on the phone ordering tools and parts. She smiled at them and held up a finger, telling them to wait a minute. She finally got off the phone and the frustration left her voice.

"Brooke, it's nice to see you again," she said, her eyes darted to Jax. He knew that look all too well.

"We're working on her car, Ma, can you get the paperwork started?"

"Sure thing, Honey," Jax winked at both women then left the office.

"Chloe gave me the number. I'm sorry, I know you guys are busy," why was she explaining herself?

"Working on cars is what we do here. With Jax working on yours, it won't take long. Maybe a day, two at most," she motioned for Brooke to take a seat as she pulled out the documents they needed. "If we can't reach you, who is a good contact person?"

"Uhm…my mom, I guess. Victoria Davis."

That name rang a bell. "Victoria? Married to Ted Davis?"

"Yeah," surprise filled her voice, "you know my parents?"

"You could say that. Victoria and I have history."

"Good history, I hope."

"In a way," Gemma smiled and looked at the brunette over her glasses, "We were close when she lived out here. She was my maid of honor when I married JT. Then she met Ted and never looked back."

Victoria had a history with bikers? That didn't sound like the Victoria that Brooke knew. Her mom was polished, dressed to impress, cared too much about her reputation as a Davis. This summer just got interesting.

"I can call her, have her pick me up here. You could catch up," Brooke needed to know more about that friendship. Her mother had a history that she wanted to keep hidden. Brooke didn't like secrets.

"I don't think that's a good idea right now. I'll cook dinner one night this week, your family can join us."

"I'd like that. Thank you."

"Do you have a way home? I can have Jax take you."

Brooke called her parents first, but they were too busy. Leah and Chloe had other plans. "No one can come," she felt embarrassed to say that.

Gemma yelled for Jax to come into the office. "Brooke needs a ride home. Have Chibbs take over your work until you're back."

"We're taking that?" she asked, fear washed over her, "You don't have a car?"

"You'll enjoy the ride," he handed Brooke a helmet. "Remember to hold on tight."

He started the bike and it roared to life. Brooke was in for a treat. She liked the way the vibrations felt between her legs. Jax was driving fast, making her tighten her grip around his waist. She couldn't see his face, but she was sure he was smiling, too.

"So this is where you sleep at night?" Jax asked when he stepped off the bike.

"Sure is," she ran a hand through her hair to get out the tangles.

"What do your parents do? This place is huge."

"Dad owns a Fortune 500 company and my mom designs clothes. They're hardly ever home."

"Is that an invitation?" That smile of his drove her wild.

"Maybe," she stepped closer to him, this time her hands were on him, "but not today, grease monkey. Go fix my car."

Brooke knew how to play games and Jax was making an excellent challenger. The chase is what she enjoyed most.

"Guess I'll see you around," she turned to walk towards the front door.

Jax grabbed her arm and pulled her back, his lips crashed into hers. Soft and sweet, like Tara's. Brooke kissed him back, her tongue playfully licking his bottom lip.

"Now," she kissed him once more then pulled away, "you have to go. Call me when my car is ready," without another look back, she bounced down the sidewalk to her door.

She didn't want to make a big deal about the kiss. If Chloe and Leah found out, they would freak and try to play matchmaker even more. Brooke didn't know what came over her. She kissed another boy; she cheated on Lucas. That kiss was fireworks-on-the-forth-of-July amazing, yet she felt a pang of guilt.

"Oh, you're home," Victoria entered the living room with a stack of mail. "Where's your car?"

"It broke down so I had it towed to a shop," this next part would belike walking on egg shells. "Jax Teller is working on it. His mom is Gemma," she nervously waited for a response.

"I know Gemma," the look on her face told Brooke that she was walking down memory lane. "I haven't seen her in ages," Victoria took off her heels and rubbed her feet. She was exhausted. "How's she doing? Or did you talk to her?"

"She's good. She runs the Teller-Morrow Garage. All the paperwork, that kind of thing. She asked for an emergency contact, so I gave her your information. I hope that's okay."

Brooke was finally getting the mother/daughter time she had wished for so much. They talked about the friendship between Gemma and Victoria. How Victoria had dated Clay Morrow in her younger days.

"Please tell me you have pictures!"

"I threw all that out when I met your father. He didn't need to know that part of my life."

"Mom, you were a biker babe! I need to see this."

"I'm sure Gemma has pictures. That girl never threw out anything. I'd like to see her. Maybe I'll take a lunch break in Charming this week.

"She seems great. She keeps the guys at the shop on a tight leash, especially Jax."

"I always called him Jack. It drove his father crazy."

"What happened to him? Gemma said he died a couple years ago."

Victoria's expression turned into pain and anguish. "I don't know. I had no idea—it's been so long," tears formed in her eyes and she quickly changed the subject. "Here's your mail. I'm going to start dinner."

Junk mail. Credit card offers. College brochures. Then a letter from Lucas. Her heart skipped a beat. She almost, almost didn't want to read the letter. Excitement and curiosity got the better of her.

Blah. Blah. Blah. Sorry about New York. Can't wait for you to come home. Blah. Blah. Blah. You're mine forever.

You're mine forever…she had read those words in another letter that Lucas had written. To Peyton.

Forever just got a lot shorter, Lucas Scott.


	9. Chapter 9

He laid in bed beside Haley, Peyton was sound asleep on the other side of the room.

"I'm sorry, Lucas. Everything happened so fast, I fought back and left before I realized what I was really doing. You deserved a goodbye, an explanation, and I'm sorry I didn't give you that."

All he could think about was Nathan sitting alone in Tree Hill with a broken heart. Haley was here, living her dream, with no regards to Nathan's well-being. She was being selfish, and Luke didn't like her this way.

"Why didn't you ask him to come with you?" Lucas needed to know that answer for Nathan.

A heavy sigh left her lungs, "I don't know. I didn't think about it. He started asking questions about Chris then he stormed out."

"Do you have feelings for Chris Keller?"

The question silenced Haley, "He's talented. He helps me with my music."

"That doesn't answer the question, Haley."

The next couple of days, Peyton spent time with Haley. Lucas was destroyed by her and he didn't want to be around Haley. The trip was a mistake.

He tried calling Brooke multiple times, but she never answered. Luke mailed a letter to her just before heading to New York. He poured his heart and soul into that letter and he knew Brooke should have received it by now. She didn't reply to his texts either. He didn't know what was going on with her, but he chose to focus on Haley instead. Brooke was moody and had her insecurities, she liked drama, and Luke didn't want to play her games.

Peyton was all about taking pictures with Haley for Karen's wall. Lucas was in a few of them, but he wasn't smiling.

An hour later, Haley had to leave for sound check.

"Lucas," Peyton began, "she's your best friend. Be happy for her."

"She cheated on Nathan with _him_ ," he was cold, his tone distant.

"I know. We talked about it last night. People make mistakes, Luke. We did."

"I was in love with you, Peyton. That was different."

They stood there staring at each other. He dropped a bombshell on her and Peyton couldn't think or speak. She couldn't move.

"Maybe she realized that they rushed into things. We're still kids, Lucas. Maybe they made a mistake."

"Have you seen Nathan? He's a mess without her. He's hurt."

"I know. I get it, but Haley's career is taking off. She can't walk away from this now. Nathan should understand that."

"People always leave. You wrote those words."

"Yeah, I did, but sometimes they come back. Like my dad, he's not leaving anymore. Jake came back, too."

Lucas couldn't handle it. He hated Nathan for so long and then Haley brought them together, made them care about each other. Now that they were losing the girl, would their brotherhood be lost, too, if Haley didn't return to Tree Hill?

Peyton and Lucas went exploring around the city while Haley worked. They talked, like they were friends again. The way they were before the cheating and the heartache. Peyton was easy to talk to, a lot easier than talking to Brooke.

"Talk to Brooke lately?" he asked when they stopped for coffee.

"Yeah, actually, this morning."

"Did she seem okay? She's not responding to me."

"She seemed great. She was going shopping with Victoria, believe it or not. Did you guys fight? Or what's going on?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't heard from her in a few days."

"Don't worry about it. I'll talk to her."

"Thanks, Peyton," they walked through Central Park drinking their coffee and taking pictures. Peyton snapped a selfie with Luke and sent it to Brooke.

Back at the hotel, Haley was eating lunch in her room. Luke half expected to see Chris with her, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Peyton! I'm so glad you're back!" Haley bounced off the bed and locked arms with Peyton. "The wardrobe designer and I can't agree on what I should wear tonight. Care to help?"

Brooke was the fashionista, not Peyton, but the curly blonde was happy to help. "This won't take long, Luke," Haley promised.

While the girls were gone, Lucas did a little snooping through Haley's things. She had said Nathan filed for divorce, meaning she had those papers in this room somewhere. Haley was never good at hiding anything. He found the papers in a nightstand drawer.

Nathan's signature was already there. Below his, was Haley's. She wasn't going to fight for her marriage. The darker side of Lucas knew that Chris Keller was part of the reason Haley was giving up. He had to stop this. Lucas knew how much they loved each other, he couldn't let this happen.

When the girls came back, Lucas was packing his bag. Anger and heartache was written all over his face. The papers lay beside his bag on the bed.

Peyton and Haley were laughing and having a good time until they saw him. Haley noticed the papers and folded her arms across her chest.

"Going through my stuff?" Her happy, childlike tone bad been replaced with anger, "My marriage is none of your business, Lucas." She snatched the papers and put them back in the drawer.

"He loves you, Haley. Just go home and be with him," they didn't care that Peyton was in the room.

"He loves me? He gave me an unfair ultimatum and then sent those divorce papers. He doesn't love me, Lucas. If he did, then he would be here with me. He would answer my calls and emails."

"You left him! Not the other way around!"

"I think you should leave. Right now."

The drive back to Tree Hill was filled with awkward silence. Peyton had The Foo Fighters playing just for noise. Lucas stared out the window, wondering how their lives got so out of control. Everything changed in only a few months. He craved normalcy. He wanted his best friend back.

"You really miss her, don't you?" Peyton asked, unable to handle the silence any longer.

"Yeah, I do. It was always the two of us against the world. She's changed into someone that I don't recognize."

"I was talking about Brooke."

"Oh." That's all he said.

Once they arrived in Tree Hill, Luke wanted to go to the rivercourt. Nathan was there, taking his rage out on the court.

"Wanna shoot around?" Luke asked, making his presence known.

Nathan was out of breath. "Where have you been?"

"Visiting an old friend."

"Yeah? Anyone I know?"

He shook his head, "Nah. I don't know her anymore either."

They played a quick pick-up game then headed to their homes. Karen was already asleep. Luke didn't want to disturb her so he quietly made it to his room.

He tried calling Brooke again, and this time, she answered.

"What do you want, Lucas?"

He was taken back by the attitude. "What's wrong with you?"

"I got your letter yesterday."

"And? I thought it was pretty great."

"It was until the last line. You're mine forever, how could you say that to me?"

"I thought it sounded pretty good."

"It sounded great, but you've written those words before. To Peyton."

"What are you talking about? I don't remember giving Peyton a letter."

"It's in your sad box of Peyton stuff in your closet. I found the letter last spring."

"I never sent that letter to Peyton."

"But you wrote it for her. Then you say the exact same words to me? The exact same words? I don't want to talk to you, Lucas. Leave me alone." She hung up before he could say anything, before he could make the situation worse.


End file.
